Safety device for elevators.



J. A. KEYES.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS,

APPLICATION men AUG.I9, 1912.

I 1,144,479. I Patented June 29, 1915.

WITNESSES: l/VVE/VTOI? WM. W yw A TTOH/VEY THE NORRIS PETERS Co PHOTc-LITHO WASHINGTON, D, C.

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JAMES A. KEYES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915..

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns A. KnYns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an elevator safety system or a device for preventing the operator from starting the car while the entrance door thereto is opened.

The object of this invention is to provide an arrangement of devices to be used in connection with an elevator system such as described by means of which the operator may release the locking mechanism in an emergency and, at the same time, provide means for automatically indicating that the looking mechanism has been so released.

In carrying out the invention a locking device is provided for the elevator controlling mechanism and various electrical circuits and circuit closing devices are provided and arranged to look the controlling mechanism when the same has been brought to its stop position and an entrance door opened. In connection with this system additional circuits, circuit closing devices and indicators are provided by means of which the operator may release the locking device in an emergency, all of which will be described more fully hereinafter in connection with the description of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The drawing is a diagrammatic View of an elevator safety system, showing one arrangement of the circuits and devices in connection with an electrically operated elevator.

The several floors are indicated in the drawing at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The elevator car, shown at 6, is suspended by-means of the cable 7 from a suitable winding drum or other means for raising and lowering the car in the shaft.

The controlling lever for starting and stopping the car is shown at 8 and may be connected in the usual manner with the shaft 9 which controls the operating mechanism for raising or lowering the car.

The locking device as illustrated in the drawings comprises a disk 10 attached to the shaft 9 and provided with a notch in its periphery which is engaged by one end of the lever 11 when the same is operated by the current flowing in the electromagnet coil 12. The disk 10 is arranged so that the notch will only be engaged by the lever 11 when the operating mechanism has been brought to its stop position.

A circuit closing device 13 is positioned at each of the floors and arranged to be operated by the opening and closing of the entrance door so as to close the circuit at this point when the door is opened and to open the circuit when the door is closed. This device may be of any suitable construction for this purpose.

Assuming the car to be stopped at floor 3, as shown in the drawing, and the entrance door thereto open, the current will flow from the generator 14: or other suitable source of current, from the line 15, junction box 16, through the flexible cable 17 to the switch 18 in the car 6 and from thence through the flexible cable 19, junction box 16, line 20, door switch 13 (which has been closed by the opening of the door) to lines 21 and 22 to the electromagnet coil 12, operating the locking lever 11, through lines 23 and 2 1 to the generator 14.

It will be seen that the operating mechanism will thus be locked and the operator prevented from starting the car as long as the entrance door remains open. As soon as the door is closed the circuit breaker 13 operates to open the circuit just described, thus releasing the operating mechanism and permitting the operator to start the car.

In case an emergency arises, such as might be by one of the doors at any other floor than that at which the car is stopped being opened or in case of fire, it becomes necessary to provide means for permitting the operator to release the locking device. This is accomplished by adding an auXiliary circuit and a circuit breaker or switch, such as 18, in the car, by means of which the operator may open the locking circuit and release the operating mechanism and at the same time cause an indication or alarm to be given automatically to the starter or at any other point as may be desired.

Assuming the operator to have moved the emergency switch 18 in the car to the contact or terminal of the line 25, the current will then flow from the generator 14 through the line 15, junction box 16 and line 17 to the switch 18, through the flexible cable 25, junction box 16 and line 26 to an annunciator or signal device 27, through line 28 to the generator. It will thus be seen that the current is cut out from the coil 12 and the lock is released. At the same time an alarm or signal is automatically given to the starter. This automatic alarm or signal prevents the operator on the car-from making use of the emergency switch for releasing the operating mechanism Without making it known that this has been done and thus prevents the use of the same except in an emergency.

It Will be understood that the emergency switch 18 may be so constructed that the same cannot be left in any other than one of the two positions above described, namely, connecting the line 17' with either line. 19 or 25. I

ItZWill thus be seen that by means of a very simple arrangement of circuits the desired results and ellicient operation of the safety system is .assuredand emergencies provided for.

Itwvill be understood thatthe arrange- .ment herein 'SllOWIl and described. may be G'opies of this patent may be obtained for circuit inormally connecting said devlces n series When the door is open, an indicator, an auX1l1ary crrcmt,.includingsaid 1nd1- :cator, connected to said operatingcircuit between said lockand source of current, and means under the controliofithe operator on the car for opening said operating, circuit and closing said, auxiliary circuit, thereby rendering said lock; inoperative.

Signediat New York city, in the county and State of New York," this .-l3th. dayv of August, 1912.

(JAMES A. KEYES. WVitnesses':

Gnoncn A. Wool), WILLIAM N. BREMER,

Washington, D. G.

five cents each, byaddressingrthe Commissioner .of Patents, 

